In a previous episode, Dr. Ardeshir Khademi shared the senior physician’s perspective on why buying an existing practice can be smarter than starting from scratch.

Watch that conversation here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/healthcarebusinessgrowth/episodes/Why-Young-Doctors-Should-BUY-a-Medical-Practice--Not-Start-One---Dr--Ardeshir-Khademi-Explains-e3cr3jo. In this episode, that principle comes to life.

Dr. Paola Suglio is a prosthodontist and first-time practice owner who acquired a dental clinic that had been operating for over 20 years in Naples, Florida.

After rebuilding her career in the U.S. as a foreign-trained dentist, she chose acquisition over a startup, stepping into an established practice with an existing team, patient base, and legacy.

This conversation explores what it actually takes to inherit trust, lead through transition, and modernize care without breaking what already works. Dr. Suglio also shares how patient anxiety shaped her clinical philosophy, including her approach to stress-free dentistry and the thoughtful use of laughing gas as a tool for comfort, not marketing.Topics covered:

• Why acquiring a legacy practice can reduce risk for first-time owners
• Taking over a 20-year practice and earning patient trust
• Leading inherited teams through modernization and change
• Designing a stress-free patient experience as a clinical philosophy
• Lessons for dentists and physicians considering practice acquisition

Together, these two episodes show both sides of the same decision, the principle behind practice acquisition, and the real-world execution of it.

Links to Dr. Paola Suglio Assets:

Website: https://www.palmpearldental.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palmpearldental/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paola-suglio-96680815a/

“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”

Healthcare is a $4.5 trillion industry, yet most clinicians are still skating to where the puck is, optimizing for legacy systems built around brick-and-mortar hospitals and manual workflows.

Dr. Allan Stewart is doing the opposite.He believes healthcare is entering a “Gretzky Moment”, a once-in-a-generation shift where as much as $1 trillion will move from traditional infrastructure to Healthcare Intelligence.

AI-driven systems, predictive care, and decision augmentation will redefine how medicine is practiced, and who holds leverage.

About the Guest Dr. Allan Stewart:

Dr. Allan Stewart, MD, is a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon who has performed more than 5,000 open-heart surgeries across six continents. He specializes in complex aortic disease, structural heart interventions, and advanced cardiac surgery.

He completed his surgical training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University Medical Center, where he later served as Assistant Professor of Cardiac Surgery. Dr. Stewart went on to hold senior leadership roles at Mount Sinai Hospital, including leading the Center for Aortic Disease, giving him an inside view of the world’s top academic medical institutions.

Currently, Dr. Stewart serves as Medical Director and Chief of Cardiac Surgery for the HCA Healthcare East Florida Division. His work increasingly sits at the intersection of clinical excellence, artificial intelligence, and global health policy, with a focus on improving outcomes at scale.

A prolific clinical researcher, he has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, served as a principal investigator in major TAVR and thoracic endograft trials, and is a graduate of Harvard Medical School’s Surgical Leadership Program. He has been consistently recognized among Best Doctors in America.

In this episode, we explore why the service of surgery is reaching a ceiling, and why the next generation of healthcare leaders will be defined not just by clinical skill, but by their ability to leverage intelligence.

Follow Dr. Allan Stewart:
Website: https://drstewart.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllanStewartMD/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.allanstewart/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Longevity-Surgeons-Prescription-Strength-Vitality/dp/B0FYCC422T

In this episode of Healthcare Business Growth Conversations, we are joined by Dr. John Ferguson, a surgeon with over 25 years of independent practice and the President-Elect of the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery.

This is not a conversation about new tools or automation. It is a deep dive into how medical standards are defined, enforced, and protected at a time when technology is challenging the systems of authority behind them.

Dr. Ferguson pulls back the curtain on what he calls the “broken engine” of medical boards, a system that spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on manual validation, arbitrary failure rates, and psychometric rituals, rather than measuring true mastery. He explains why the future of medicine must shift from “mined” diamonds to precision-manufactured Content-Driven Intelligence.

About the Guest Dr. John Ferguson: A practicing surgeon with 25+ years of clinical experience, board leadership, and exam committee governance, he brings real-world accountability to healthcare AI. He currently serves as President-Elect of the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery, Co-Chair of Written Exam Committees, Treasurer and Trustee of ABFCS/ABCS, and sits on the Board of Governors of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS).

He is Editor-in-Chief of StatPearls, overseeing validated medical education content used by thousands of clinicians, an AI Ethics Columnist for the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, and a Contributor to The AI Journal. He is also an AI2030 Global Fellow, working on healthcare AI governance and the Algorithmic Integrity Program.

After witnessing boards spend $100K+ annually and waste hundreds of volunteer hours while psychometric systems punished mastery, he founded EdAI Systems—an AI assessment platform built from inside board leadership, not as an external vendor. EdAI has achieved 100% customer retention across multiple medical specialty boards, reduced volunteer coordination time by 90%, and deployed 2,400+ psychometrically validated questions used in high-stakes certification exams.

His work is grounded in content-controlled intelligence — AI constrained to curated, validated sources (StatPearls©), designed to say “I don’t know” rather than hallucinate. This approach is informed by chairing exam committees, paying malpractice insurance, and being accountable when systems fail.

Awards include the 2013 William K. Miles Award for the highest score on the ABCS Written Exam.

Mission: Scale expertise without sacrificing reliability. Build AI accountable to the professionals who face real consequences. Optimize humans, don’t replace them.

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ferguson-md-facs/

Is your healthcare practice defensible, or is it a commodity that AI can replace? As Dr. Michele Bechor prepares to launch her new psychology clinic, we dive deep into the Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy that positions “Human Relationship” as the ultimate competitive advantage.

In this episode of Healthcare Business Growth Conversations, Rakesh and Dr. Michele Bechor discuss the business of mental health in an era of rapid AI disruption. We explore why a strong Unique Selling Proposition (USP) like Dr. Bechor’s “Family Companion” model is the only way to build a scalable, premium brand that software cannot replicate.

About the Guest Dr. Michele Bechor:

Dr. Michele Bechor, Ph.D., is a Licensed Psychologist and PSYPACT-certified provider who practices evidence-based therapy using a collaborative, non-judgmental approach. She holds her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. in Psychology from Florida International University and has advanced training in DBT, ACT, and CBIT.

Her work focuses on helping children, adults, and families understand and change long-standing behavior patterns while separating personal identity from disorder-driven behaviors. Grounded in the scientist-practitioner model, her approach emphasizes clarity, values-based action, and lasting behavioral change.

Key Business Insights:

• The Human Moat: Why clinical judgment and the “therapeutic alliance” are defensible business assets.
• Trust vs. Automation: Understanding why patients pay for transformation, not just information.
• The Family Companion USP: How shifting your focus from the individual to the environment creates a “Blue Ocean” market for your clinic.
• Marketing Efficiency: How to use AI for the “pipes” of your business without diluting the human touch of your service.
• GTM Strategy: A behind-the-scenes look at building a brand identity before the first patient even walks through the door.

Link to Emblem Psychology and Consulting: https://www.emblempsych.com/

Why are so many physicians burned out, and what actually prevents it?

In this episode of Healthcare Business Growth Conversations, I speak with Dr. Ardeshir Khademi, a neurologist with 35+ years in medicine and over two decades running a private outpatient practice in Florida.

We break down why physician burnout is often driven by lack of autonomy, not workload, and why outpatient neurology is heading toward a major shortage. Dr. Khademi explains why young doctors should consider buying an existing medical practice instead of starting one from scratch, especially as retiring baby-boomer physicians exit and private equity accelerates consolidation.

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About the Guest Dr. Ardeshir Khademi:
Dr. Ardeshir Khademi is a board-certified neurologist and the founder of Countryside Neurology in Palm Harbor, Florida. With over 35 years of clinical experience, he specializes in diagnosing and treating complex neurological conditions while leading a patient-centered private practice. Dr. Khademi brings a rare blend of clinical depth, entrepreneurial insight, and long-term leadership in outpatient neurology.

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This episode is relevant for:

• Residents and fellows exploring private practice
• Physicians deciding between employment and ownership
• Doctors concerned about burnout and long-term career sustainability

Topics include private practice ownership, practice acquisition, outpatient neurology trends, physician burnout, healthcare leadership, and the real impact of AI in medical practice.

Link to Dr. Khademi's practice Countryside Neurology: https://countrysideneurology.com/

What happens when clinical excellence collides with real-world business pressure?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Gekht, a neurologist and pain management physician whose career spans medicine, aviation, healthcare partnerships, private equity, and artificial intelligence.

From immigrating to the U.S. and building a successful neurology practice, to becoming a long-term partner in a large orthopedic group, Dr. Gekht shares the rarely discussed realities of physician partnerships, burnout, and financially successful exits that still carry emotional weight.

This conversation is for physicians who see themselves not just as clinicians—but as operators, partners, and long-term decision-makers in healthcare.

If you’re navigating growth, ownership, reinvention, or the future role of AI in medicine, this episode offers grounded insight from someone who’s lived every side of it.

About The Guest Dr. Gennady Gekht:

Dr. Gekht is a neurologist and healthcare executive with extensive experience across neurology, pain management, and healthcare operations. His work focuses on applying artificial intelligence to improve clinical decision-making, diagnostics, and patient outcomes—particularly within neurological care.

With a background spanning clinical practice, research, and healthcare technology consulting, he has operated at the intersection of medicine and business, including leadership roles in large physician groups and healthcare ventures. His formal training includes advanced AI coursework from MIT and an MBA from Emory University, complementing decades of hands-on experience in neurology.

As Founder and CEO of Southern Smiles Group, Dr. Gekht has led strategic growth initiatives while maintaining a strong emphasis on clinical rigor. His current work centers on responsibly integrating AI into healthcare systems to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and patient-centered care.

Can a medical practice grow profitably without compromising patient outcomes?

This episode examines the hybrid practice model, a strategic approach that blends clinical excellence with operational efficiency. We discuss how healthcare providers can scale responsibly, adopt technology with purpose, and build systems that support both financial sustainability and patient trust.

A focused conversation for physicians and clinic owners looking to grow without sacrificing the principles that define quality care.

About the Guest Dr. Angela Mazza:
Dr. Angela Mazza, MD is a triple board-certified physician in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Internal Medicine, and Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine. She is the Founder and Medical Director of the Metabolic Center for Wellness in Oviedo, Florida, where she specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex thyroid conditions, including autoimmune thyroid disease, thyroid nodules, and thyroid cancer.Under her leadership, the Metabolic Center for Wellness has become the only clinic in Central Florida offering radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for thyroid nodules—a non-surgical, thyroid-preserving treatment that reflects her commitment to evidence-based innovation and patient-centered care.Dr. Mazza’s career bridges both clinical and academic medicine. She has conducted extensive research in basic and clinical endocrinology and is widely recognized for empowering patients through education, personalized treatment plans, and lifestyle-driven metabolic care. Beyond her clinical work, she is an educator, author, and advocate for healthy aging, regularly contributing to public education initiatives focused on hormonal balance, metabolic health, and long-term wellness.

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Links to Dr. Mazza's assets:

1. Website - Metabolic Center for Wellness
2. Book - Thyroid Talk: An Integrative Guide to Optimal Thyroid Health
3. American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine - a4m.com
4. Podcast - Thyroid Talks with Dr. Angela Mazza

What if the future of orthopedic healing didn’t start with surgery… but with biology, light, and precision-based technology?

In this episode, Dr. Praveen Samuel shares how interventional orthopedics, laser therapy, shockwave, and biological restoration are shaping a new direction for pain and performance in India. We explore the vision behind Elyra, why he returned to India, and how his approach blends clinical expertise with biohacking-inspired tools.

This conversation offers a glimpse into what the next decade of orthopedic care could look like. And why early adopters may benefit the most.

About the Guest Dr. Praveen Samuel:Dr. Praveen Samuel is an Orthopaedic Surgeon and Healthcare Innovator who is redefining patient care in India. Raised in Qatar and trained at the prestigious St. John’s Medical College, he built a strong surgical foundation at Baby Memorial Hospital in Calicut before moving to Canada.In Vancouver, Dr. Praveen didn't just practice medicine; he led healthcare technology innovation. As the Clinical Tech Lead at BC Diabetes, he pioneered "Looping Services" (DIY artificial pancreas systems) and published research in The Lancet. Now back in India, he combines his surgical expertise with high-end medical tech to build the future of interventional orthopedics.

Dr. Praveen Samuel's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/praveen-samuel

Elyra Website: https://elyrahealth.com

Healthcare Business Growth Conversations - Ep: 3 with Dr. Brandon Maijala & Rakesh Reddy In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Brandon Maijala, a highly respected Foot and Ankle Surgeon and the visionary behind Care Podiatry in Anaheim, California.Dr. Maijala isn't just treating patients; he's transforming the future of podiatric medicine. As the Vice President of the Los Angeles County Podiatric Medical Association, he’s a leader blending surgical excellence, business acumen, and genuine patient empathy.We explore how he built his thriving practice, revolutionized the post-operative experience with the Post Op Pod Box, and strategically adopted cutting-edge technology like laser therapy. Learn the principles behind balancing surgical practice with business ownership and the leadership mindset required to deliver patient-centered care.==========================================================Link to Care Podiatry Website: https://carepodiatry.com/Link to "Surgery in Podiatry" Book: https://a.co/d/10zZhvI

Healthcare Business Growth Conversations - Ep: 2 with Dr. Mikel Daniels & Rakesh Reddy In this episode, Rakesh Reddy interviews Dr. Mikel Daniels, a board-certified podiatrist and a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgery, American Board of Podiatric Surgeons, and American Professional Wound Care Association.He's a podiatrist with an MBA who transitioned from clinical practice to healthcare management. They discuss Dr. Daniels’ journey, the challenges of running a medical practice, and the importance of balancing clinical excellence with financial sustainability. The conversation also covers mergers and acquisitions in healthcare, cultural integration, and the evolving role of physician leaders in the industry.